Health departments on vaccinations: 'We all want healthy children'

Tuesday

Apr 29, 2014 at 10:40 AM

The resurgence of measles and other vaccine-preventable diseases in Illinois and around the country is underscoring the message of National Infant Immunizations Week, which began Monday and runs through Saturday.

By Terri Milner TarquiniRockford Parent

The resurgence of measles and other vaccine-preventable diseases in Illinois and around the country is underscoring the message of National Infant Immunizations Week, which began Monday and runs through Saturday.

“In the 1800s and early 1900s people died from these diseases that we now have vaccines for,” said Amanda Mehl, director of personal health services for the Boone County Health Department. “We are far enough removed from that now that it can be easy to think that the diseases have disappeared, but it is absolutely essential to vaccinate our children, vaccinate ourselves and vaccinate our communities. It is the only way to prevent these diseases from coming back full swing.”

In the 1950s, nearly every child developed measles -- and some even died. Mostly eradicated by the vaccines in the decades to follow, in 2013 there was an increase in measles cases nationally, including an outbreak in New York that was the largest in almost 20 years.

“This is one of the worst years already with regards to measles and it absolutely has to do with not vaccinating,” said Dr. William Hutt, a Rockford pediatric physician for 34 years. “It’s easy to get comfortable when we don’t see these diseases thinking we don’t have to worry about them, but they’re out there in the background smoldering and if you get a community who chooses to not vaccinate then it grows.”

That growth of the disease and related complications can be far reaching.

“If a child has not been vaccinated, the risk is not limited to just them,” Mehl said. “People with immune-compromised systems are at risk, as well infants whose immune systems have not developed yet. We definitely want to keep these preventable diseases under control.”

Parental concerns with vaccines are well-documented on the Internet and in the media, where immunizations are pointed to as being potentially responsible for a host of complications, including autism.

“It’s crucial to be cautious and consider the source,” said Mary Weyand, a registered nurse and supervisor of family health services for the Winnebago County Health Department. “Celebrities who don’t have a knowledgeable background are not the best authorities. Parents should have a discussion with their child’s pediatrician. If a parent has chosen to entrust their child’s care to that doctor, then they should listen to them.”

For some parents, the idea of their infant seeing a doctor for shots a recommended five times before the age of 2 for protection against serious childhood diseases can be a bit daunting.

“These vaccines have been intensely studied,” Weyand said. “The benefits of preventative health care far outweigh any risk involved. Children are not raised in a bubble and, personally, I would rather go with something that has been tested and studied for my children rather than something that is just out there in the wild.”

In addition to talking to a physician, parents with questions or concerns can also go to http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vac-gen/why.htm or, locally, they can contact the Winnebago County or Boone County health departments.

“We never want a parent to feel unsure or uncomfortable,” Mehl said. “Parents have every right to make an educated and informed decision. If a parent has read something or heard something and they have questions, the health department is a good place to go. We’re not here to put pressure on; we’re here to educate.”

In the end, regardless of whether they are a parent or a professional, everyone has a common goal.

“We all want the same thing,” Weyand said. “We all want healthy children.”

Never miss a story

Choose the plan that's right for you.
Digital access or digital and print delivery.